Xbox Living

At Microsoft’s pre-E3 media briefing, the company unveiled its audio-video motion-tracking controller, previously known as Project Natal. The new control system for the Xbox 360 is now known as Kinect.

Kinect sits in front of you and responds to your body’s movements and vocal commands to control games, chat and media features within the Xbox 360.

A number of Kinect games were announced. Kinect Sports is obviously an answer to Wii Sports, but does offer the improvements that come with the full motion tracking of Kinect. Kinectamals, meanwhile, gives kids a virtual pet that they can play with. The animals respond to kids’ vocal commands and movements. Kinect Adventures, meanwhile, puts you on a moving platform where you need to move your entire body to dodge obstacles and collect tokens.

MTV Games and Harmonix are bringing Dance Central to Kinect, a dancing game that removes the pads of DDR and replaces them with full body tracking. Ubisoft also showed off a Kinect title. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved will provide a workout that watches your entire body’s movements to provide tips on improving your form. A new Forza racing game was also announced, one to drive simply by placing their hands at a ten-and-two position.

Last but not least in terms of games, a new Star Wars game was announced from Microsoft and LucasArts, showing off both lightsaber battling and force moves that are done without a controller in hand.

Microsoft showed off the communications benefits of Kinect, with a webcam chat that took place between two Kinect users. Besides the obvious voice and video chat, people can watch movies, sports or news content together while in video chat. Also a neat feature: Kinect follows you around the room, panning the video so that you don’t wander off screen.

Zune features are being extended in the Xbox 360 with Kinect. Now, audio and video can be selected, played and controlled using Kinect. Simple gestures can be used to move between tracks or pause/fast-forward/rewind videos. Alternatively, voice commands like “Xbox Pause” and “Xbox Rewind” can be used to control media.

Alongside the new Zune media controls is an announced partnership with ESPN to bring sports coverage. Recorded and live games will be streamed to the Xbox 360 console through the service, which will be available to Xbox Live Gold subscribers at no additional cost. A neat feature: say “Xbox Replay” to get your own instant replays on demand. (As a Canadian, I’ve got to say the noticeable absence of NHL content was a bit of a let-down — though I’m not sure if the ESPN coverage will even be available outside of the U.S.)

Microsoft’s Kinect will be launching on November 4. 15 Kinect titles will be available at launch.

My Xbox 360 died last week.  That is… my third Xbox 360 died last week.  Super.

I’ve been through the repair process with Microsoft twice.  My first Xbox 360 stopped working about six months or so after I got it — it stopped reading discs properly.  A year later, the refurbished one they sent me fell to the notorious red ring of death.

The replacement lasted about a year as well: Last week, my Xbox 360 stopped reading discs.  It just spins, grinds loudly, and gives up.  So again, I’ll just have to send it back to Microsoft and they’ll repl… wait a sec — my warranty is over.  That leaves two options: send it in again and pay for the repairs (ugh), or buy a new one.

My new Xbox 360 is a brand new Elite model, which, in theory, should have a newer motherboard in it that’s less prone to the red-ring, and perhaps other hardware problems.  It also has more storage space, which I was wanting.

Now, with as many hardware failures as I’ve had, the hidden third option did cross my mind: Should I give up on the Xbox 360?  Obviously, I decided against the notion, but there was a time where I, briefly, considered using the money on a PS3 instead, or to make some gaming-related upgrades to my PC.

But I really like the Xbox best.  The PS3 has a weak library and even weaker online play, and I’m not a PC gamer.  The PC crowd may think me noobish, but I much prefer to play games from my living room couch.  (I spend enough time at a desk when I’m working.)

So another Xbox 360 it is.  Let’s just hope that the fourth time’s a charm.

A little while ago, I mentioned that the Xbox 360 would be getting a motion-sensing Wii-style controller.

But even before word of Microsoft’s remote surfaced, another device was being introduced.  Motus Games has been working on their new controller: Darwin.  The device is described by Motus as the natural evolution of controllers, following what Nintendo started with the Wii.

Darwin will offer superior motion-sensing to the Wii, giving greater freedom with more range of movement and no reliance on an infared sensor.  The device segments into two components for different gameplay styles.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is supposedly still working on its device, which is code-named “Newton”.  A rumour has popped up today that Darwin is the new Xbox 360 remote (although it’s also due to be released for the PC and PS3), but that’s probably speculation.

Check out these videos, in which the Darwin remote is used to play Lego Star Wars and Tiger Woods PGA Tour.  Lightsaber action and real golf swings?  Sign me up.

MTV has reported that a new controller has been in the works for the Xbox 360 — a Microsoft version of the Nintendo Wii controller (or Wii-mote).

Microsoft-owned studio Rare is reportedly behind the controller. Like the Wii-mote, the Microsoft controller will feature motion sensing and pointing abilities. The controller will use an analog stick rather than a D-pad, says MTV.

Reportedly, the controller has been in the works since last summer. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were plans on the table well before that. Peter Moore, who was then a Microsoft VP, hinted at the prospect of a new Xbox 360 controller back in the Summer of 2006.

I can only imagine what an Xbox 360 version of the Wii-mote would look like… but here’s a stab at it:

Ok, they did provide a sketch in the article, but I like mine better.

If it’s real, the controller could be aimed at attracting developers of Wii games by making it easier to port Wii games to the Xbox 360.

Of course, Microsoft’s (probably wise) policy of declining to comment on rumors means that we won’t have confirmation until they decide to announce the hardware — assuming its real, and they take it to market.

This is the kind of thing I would have assumed to be an April Fool’s gag, had it not been a little late. It’s a bit hard to believe that Microsoft would go for something so blatant — the sketch isn’t much different than my mockup. I can’t imagine them not getting sued if they do this, but then again — they are Microsoft. We’ll have to wait and see if MTV’s “source” is credible.